Alabama center Barrett Jones speaks during the announcement of the 2012 National Football Foundation National Scholar-Athlete class on Tuesday.

Written by

Mark Edwards
Special to the Advertiser

The National Football Foundation has named Alabama center Barrett Jones as the winner of the William V. Campbell Trophy, which recognizes academics, athletic accomplishment and community service.

Jones beat out 14 other finalists. He received the award Tuesday night at the NFF banquet at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York.

"Charles Barkley famously said 'I'm not a role model.' I think the fact is, with all the exposure college athletes get today, we are role models," Jones said in a news release. "I think everyone sitting here are people that use that status in a positive way. I'm very ...